Indicating apparatus for photographic printers



Jan. 28, 1958 INDICATING APPARATUS FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTERS Filed Aug. 24. 1953 www United States Patent O INDICATING APPARATUS FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTERS Joseph J. Enright, Kansas City, Mo.

Application August 24, 1953, Serial No. 376,083

3 Claims. (Cl. 95-1.1)

This invention relates generally, to the processing of photographic negatives to produce photographically printed pictures or snapshots and, more particularly, to apparatus for use in conjunction with a photographic printing machine for placing upon the margin of each snapshot, by photographic process carried out simultaneously with the printing of the scene portion of the snapshot, indicia representing the duration of the exposure used in printing the snapshot from the negative and, also, the date of processing, if desired.

The problem of make-overs is one Well known to those engaged in the business of developing lm rolls to produce snapshots therefrom. After the film roll submitted by a customer for developing has been processed to produce a number of corresponding photographic negatives,

the next step is to print the scene recorded on each negative upon sensitized photographic paper by exposure of the latter to light directed through the negative. This step is now accomplished commercially with so-called photographic printer machines, which are adapted to successively print upon an intermittently advanceable roll of sensitized paper, the scenes from a relatively great number of diierent negatives formed from the films of several customers, the roll of sensitized paper then being further processed as a whole in the darkroom to iix the various scenes upon the paper and present an end-to-end roll of what, when the roll is appropriately cut, are the snapshots 'ordered by the customers.

However, since the cameras and photographic prociencies of different customers vary, and since the various 4scenes photographed on a single film roll by each customer commonly have been made under differing conditions of lighting and camera adjustment, the negatives produced from processing such film rolls also vary as to their degree of transparency for scenes which, when printed, should appear equally light or dark. Accordingly, it is necessary, in order to produce snapshots of proper and uniform shade and contrast, to determine the duration of exposure time to be used in the printer individually for each negative. This is done by a human operator at the printing machine who, after inspection of 4each negative, selects one of the several different exposure periods available in the machine and, by operation of "switching controls, causes the negative to be exposed for 'the particular period selected.

' Due to certain factors, including human error, a number lof negatives are almost invariably exposed by the operator of the printer for either too long or too short a period, such fact becoming apparent only upon examination of the finished snapshots. However, the operator, in processing the negative a second time, normally has nov-indication of the erroneous exposure time originally used and so may repeat his error, necessitating still another attempt.

Accordingly, itis one of the principal objects of this invention lto provide apparatus for use in connection with photographic printers which will automatically mark each snap'shotas it is being printed with indicia'in the margin ice thereof showing the particular exposure period used, so that, if a make-over of any particular snapshot is required, the operator of the printing machine can ascertain at a glance what exposure time was initially tried and from such information immediately tell what the proper exposure period for the make-over should be.

Another item of information which may not only be useful to the processor, but which is also desired by many customers, is some indication of the date that the snapshots were processed.

It is, therefore, another of the principal objects of this invention to provide apparatus which will automatically mark each snapshot as it is being printed in the printer machine with indicia of the date of processing.

Other objects of this invention include the way in which the marking apparatus is automatically controlled by operation of only those manual controls which are normally associated with a conventional printer, the manner in which the apparatus of this invention may be inexpensively manufactured and easily installed on existing printer machines, and many more minor objects, including details of construction, which will be made clear or become apparent as the following specification progresses.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a partially schematic, partially sectional, and partially elevational representation of parts of a printer machine and the apparatus of this invention associated therewith. 4

Fig. 2 is a partially diagrammatic and partially sectional representation showing the disposition of the marking structures located at the left of Fig. l relative to the sensitized paper being processed in the printer machine;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the perforated, opaque mask associated with the exposure indicating portion of the apparatus.

Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram showing that portion of the electrical system of the printer machine and the apparatus of this invention which pertains to the oper-l ation of said apparatus; and I Fig. 5 is a detailed, schematic representation of the exposure control switching structure forming a part of the printer machine and the apparatus of this invention.

Referring first to Figure l, the numeral 10 indicates a sheet of sensitized paper upon which a series of snapshots are to be printed. It will be understood that in conventional printer machines, sensitized paper 10 would be supplied from a roll (not shown) disposed away from one viewing the drawing, and would be intermittently drawn toward the viewer and received upon a second roll (not shown) disposed between the viewer and the drawing.

Immediately under paper 10 is masking structure 12 provided with an opening therethrough, the shape and size of opening 13 defining the proportions of the snapshots ultimately printed upon paper 10. A photographic negative 14 from which a given snapshot is to be printed upon paper 10 is disposed under structure 12 and between the latter and an exposing light source 16. Source .16 normally includes an electrically operable lamp 17 disposed in a housing 18 to direct rays of light through optical focusing means 19, through negative 14 and opening 13 of masking structure 12 upon sensitized paper 10.

An electrical plug 20 adapted for connection with a source of power (not shown) s coupled through conductors 31, 32 and 30, and conductors 34 and 28 with an exposure timing control box 26. A normally open switch 36 is connected in series between conductors 31 and.32 for furnishing power to box 26 only when switch .36 is closed. Switch `36`is preferably a foot'control typev of circuit breaker which mayv be manipulated by the'foot of an operator of the printer-'machine'. i 'J Lamp 17 is coupled with shown since they form no part of this invention) contained within exposure timing control box 26 by means of yconductors 22 and 24. It Will be understood that, as is normal in photographic printer machines, lamp 17 will be energized to expose sensitized paper for a period predetermined by the timing circuits within control box 26 whenever the foot switch 36 is closed by the operator.

The selection of a particular timer circuit within control box 26 is effected by the operator by manipulation of one or more push buttons 48, 50 and 52 associated with an exposure time and marking indicia selection switch box 46 interconnected with exposure timing control box 26 by conductors 38, 40, 42 and 44. Push buttons 48, 50 and 52 are mechanically coupled to respectively operate normally open switches 54, 56 and 58.

Conductor 38 is coupled with each of the contact bars 60, 62 and 64 of switches 54, 56 and 58 respectively, while conductors 44, 42 and 40 are respectively coupled with contact 61 of switch 54, contact 63 of switch 56, and contact 65 of switch 58. Whenever any of push buttons 48, 50 or 52 is operated, the corresponding switch 54, 56 or 58 will be closed to complete a circuit through conductor 38 and the corresponding one of conductors 44, 42 and 40. As will be well understood by those familiar with photographic printer machines, the completion of one or more of such circuits 38-44, 38-42, or 38-40 selects a particular one of the timing circuits forming a part of the control box 26, thereby energizing lamp 17 for a predetermined, corresponding time.

Also housed within switch box 46 are a number of normally open marking control switches 120, 122 and 124, switch 120 being ganged with switch 54 for closure when button 48 is operated, switch 122 being similarly mechanically coupled with switch 56 and button 50 and switch 124 being likewise associated with button 52 and switch 58.

An indicia marking exposure control box 140 is coupled with electrical plug 20 through conductors 142 and 34, and through conductors 144, 32, switch 36 and conductor 31, power being furnished to marking exposure control box 140 whenever switch 36 is closed by the operator of the printer machine.

Within marking control box 140 is housed the major portion of the circuit shown in Fig. 4. Specifically, conductors 142 and 144 are respectively coupled through wires 161 and 163 with the primary 162 of a voltage reducing transformer 160. Conductors 142 and 144 are also coupled with a time-constant relay control circuit traceable as follows:

From conductor 144, through a resistance 146, a conductor 147, a variable resistance 148, a conductor 149, a selenium rectifier 150, a conductor 151, a relay coil 152, a conductor 153, a resistance 154, and conductors 155 and 159 to conductor 142, a capacitor 156 being coupled in parallel with coil 152, conductor 153 and resistance 154 by means of a conductor 157 coupling one side of capacitor 156 to conductor 151, and a conductor 158 coupling the opposite side of capacitor 156 with conductor 159.

A secondary circuit for transformer 160 is presented by a secondary winding 164 coupled by means of conductors 169 and 173, and conductors 170 and 176 with certain auxiliary lamp circuits hereinafter to be more fully identied. One side of secondary winding 164 may conveniently be grounded by a connection from conductor 170 to ground as at 171. A normally closed, relay operated switch 166-168 is connected in series between conductors 169 and 173 so that the secondary circuit of transformer 160 will be closed only when switch contacts 166 'and 168 are in engagement. Switch contact 166 is associated with, and controlled by relay coil 152, coil 152 and contacts 166 and 168 comprising a conventional timing control circuits (not type relay of the kind which opens contacts 166 and 168 only when a predetermined amount of current is ilowing through the coil 152.

Below one lateral margin of sensitized paper 10 is disposed an elongated indicator lamp housing 72 provided with a number of vertical bores 74, 76 and 78 for receiving lamps 80, 82 and 84 respectively. In alignment with indicator lamp housing 72 is a cutter marking bulb housing 94 provided with a vertical bore 96 for receiving a cutter marking bulb 98. lt will be understood that housings "2 and 94 might Well be integrally formed or that housing 72 might be formed as three separate housings to accommodate each of lamps 80, 82 and 84. Beneath the opposite lateral margin of sensitized paper 10 is disposed a date marking lamp housing 104 provided with a vertical bore 106 for receiving a date marking lamp 108.

Between housing 72 and sensitized paper 10, there is provided an opaque masking plate 86 having perforations 88, 90 and 92 respectively in alignment with bores 74, 76 and 78 so that light emanating from either of bulbs 80, 82 or 84 would pass through corresponding perforations 88, 90 or 92 and fall upon sensitized paper 10 It will be noted that perforations 88, 90 and 92 are each arranged in different patterns so as to print a correspondingly different indicia or design upon paper 10 when the corresponding bulb 80, 82 or 84 is energized.

Between housing 94 and paper 10 is provided a masking plate having the conventional elongated opening 102 therein. It will be understood that bulb 98, housing 94 and plate 100 form no part of this invention other than as they cooperate with the apparatus of the invention, but rather are a part of the so-called Block marking system understood to have been developed by Albert Block and to be available on the commercial market.

Between housing 104 and sensitized paper 10 is provided a masking plate having an opening 112 therein, preferably of slightly elongated dimensions. Between plate 110 and paper 10 is interchangeably disposed one of a number of previously prepared photographic negatives 114 having a suitable pattern adapted for printing symbols representative of a date or other information upon paper 10 when lamp 108 is energized to direct rays of light through opening 112 of plate 110 and through the negative 114 upon paper 10.

Housing 72, 94 and 104 may be supported in the printer machine in their above-described dispositions relative to paper 10 by any suitable means (not shown) and similarly, plates 86, 100 and 110 may be secured to their corresponding housings 72, 94 and 104, and negative 114 may be retained upon plate 110 in any suitable fashion.

Indicia marking lamp 80 is coupled with conductor 176 of the secondary circuit of transformer 160 by conductors 736 and 200. The other terminal of lamp 80 is coupled with contact 131 of circuit-breaker 124 by conductors 186 and 136 (the numeral 136 only being shown in Fig. 4). Contact of circuit-breaker 124 is thence connected to conductor 173 of the secondary circuit of transformer by means of conductors 212 and 138. Similarly, the energizing circuit for indicia marking lamp 82, may be traced from conductor 176 of the secondary circuit of transformer 160, through conductors 200 and 734, to the lamp 82 and thence through conductors 188 and 134, to contact 129 of circuit-breaker 122, and from contact 128 of circuit-breaker 122 through conductors 210 and 138, to conductor 173.

The circuit for indicia marking lamp 84 is from conductor 176, through conductors 200 and 732, to the lamp 84 and thence through conductors 190 and 132 to contact 127 of circuit-breaker 120, and from contact 126 of circuit-breaker 20 through conductors 208 and 138 to conductor 173.

Date marking lamp 108 is energized by connection with conductor 176 through conductor 182 and by connection with conductor 173 through conductor 184. Cutter index marking bulb 98, if the `same is utilized in the printer machine with which the apparatus of this invention is associated, may be coupled in the secondary circuit of transformer 160 by conductors 178 and 180, it being understood, however, that, although the provision of a cutter index marker bulb 98 may be conveniently carried out in conjunction with the apparatus of this invention, the latter in no way requires the provision of such cutter index marking means 98 and the same may be omitted, if desired.

In operation, the operator of the printer machine with which the apparatus of this invention is associated, views the negative 14, estimates from such inspection the eX- posure time during which lamp 17 of source 16 must be energized to properly print a corresponding snapshot upon paper 10, thereupon selects and manipulates the appropriate one or ones of buttons 48, 50 and 52 for selecting timing circuits of the exposure timing control box 26 which will energize lamp 17 for the desired period, and then manipulates foot switch 36 to activate the exposing circuits of the printer machine and the indicating circuits of the apparatus `of this invention.

Since the nature of the perforations 88, 90 and 92 in plate 86, and the perforation 102 in plate 100 and the nature of the date symbol negative 114, do not change as successive negatives 14 are being processed, it is clear that a single, predetermined period of energization for lamps 80, 82, 84 and 108, and bulb 98, may be used to produce markings of uniform shading and contrast upon the margins of successive snapshots processed from different negatives 14. Accordingly, when switch 36 is closed by the operator, power is immediately delivered through transformer 160 and its secondary circuit having normally closed switch 166-168 in series therewith, to bulb 98, lamp 108 and such of lamps 80, 82, and 84 as may have their corresponding switches 124, 122 and 120 closed by virtue of manipulation by the operator of buttons 52, 50 or 48. Simultaneously, with the supplying of power to such secondary circuit of transformer 160, power is supplied to the timing circuit including elements 146, 148, 150, 152, 154 and 156. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that such timing circuit operates upon the well known principle of resistance-capacitance, timeconstant circuits wherein appreciable electrical current will not flow through coil 152 and resistance 154 until capacitor 156 has been fully charged.

Example values found suitable for use in such circuit are 47,000 ohms for resistance 146; 5,000 ohms for resistance 148; 12,000 ohms for resistance 54; and 14 microfarads for capacitance 156, when the resistance of coil 152 is 5,000 ohm-s.

Resistance 148 may be adjusted by the operator to control the rate of charging of capacitor 156 and thereby control the time during which no appreciable current will ow through coil 152. As soon as capacitor 156 has become fully charged, which as above noted is during a predetermined interval, current in substantial amounts will then commence to flow through resistance 154 and coil 152, the energization of the latter resulting in the attraction of switch contact 166 associated therewith.

Opening of switch 166-168 in this manner automatically opens the secondary circuit of transformer 160 and cuts off the energization which was being supplied to bulb 98, lamp 108 and one or more of lamps 80, 82 and 84 during charging of the capacitor 156. As long as the operator maintains switch 36 closed, current will continue to flow through relay coil 152 and switch 166-168 will be held open.

It may be noted that similar safety cut-oifs are preferably included in the exposure timing control circuits forming a part of control box 26. As soon as the operator releases foot switch 36, current ceases to dow through coil 162 and switch 166-168 returns to its normally closed position in readiness for again permitting power to 110W through the secondary circuit of the transformer 160 when the switch 36 is next closed by the operator for processing another negative 14.

It will now be clear that the apparatus of this invention is simple, fool-proof in operation and requires no additional manipulation of controls by the operator of a printer machine over that already required for the operation of conventional printers, thereby entirely eliminating any chance for error or inconsistency between the exposure time actually used for lamp 17 and the indicia recorded by the apparatus of this invention upon the margin of paper 10 to indicate the particular exposure time selected and used in processing the negative 14 from which the snapshot was made.

The substantial savings in time, money and effort which result from the use of the apparatus of this invention in connection with conventional printer machines will also now be apparent.

Obviously, many minor modifications and changes could be made in certain structure of this invention without materially departing from the spirit thereof. Accordingly, it is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. For use with a photographic printing machine provided with an electric exposure lamp having a timing and operating circuit and a plurality of manually operable, exposure time selection switches connected with said circuit to permit selective operation of the lamp for a plurality of predetermined periods corresponding to the switches, exposure time indicating apparatus for -automatically marking a print being processed with photographic indicia of the particular exposure time selected by operation of a particular one of said switches, said apparatus comprising marking means including a separate, electrically responsive, light source corresponding to each switch respectively, and indicia producing means for each of said light sources disposed between the respective source and the print for causing a beam of light emanating from the particular source to mark the print with an indicia distinctive to each of the sources respectively; restrictive electrical circuit means connected to said light sources for limiting energizing of each of the same to a predetermined period irrespective of the period of energization of said lamp by operation of one of the switches; means for controlling said marking means to select the particular indicia which will be marked by said marking means upon said print; and means for operably coupling said controlling means with said switches for automatic selection by said controlling means, when any of said switches is operated to select a particular exposure time for the processing of said print, of that particular indicia `corresponding to said operated switch and said selected exposure time.

2. For use with a photographic printing machine provided with an electric exposure lamp having a timing and operating circuit and a plurality of manually operable, exposure time selection switches connected with said circuit to permit selective operation of the lamp for a plurality of predetermined periods corresponding to the switches, exposure ltime indicating apparatus for automatically marking a print being processed with photographic indicia of the particular exposure time selected by operation of a particular one of said switches, said apparatus comprising marking means including a separate, electrically responsive, light source corresponding to each switch respectively, opaque masking structure having a different, indicia forming, translucent pattern for each light source respectively, and means disposing the light sources and the structure relative to said machine for rendering each light source adapted, when it is operated, to direct a beam of light through its corresponding pattern upon a portion of said print being processed, to thereby mark said print with indicia corresponding to the particular light source operated; restrictive electrical cirenergizing of each of the same to a predetermined period irrespective of the period of energization of said lamp by operation of one of the switches; means for controlling said marking means to select :the particular indicia which will be marked by said marking means upon said print; and means for operably coupling said controlling means with said switches for automatic selection by said controlling means, when any of said .switches is operated to select a particular exposure time for the processing of said print, of that particular indicia corresponding to said operated switch and said selected exposure time.

3. For use with a photographic printing-machineprovided with an electric exposure lamp havinga-timing and operating circuit and a plurality of manually operable, exposure time selection switches connected with vsaid circuit to permit selective operation ci the lamp `for a plurality of predetermined periods corresponding to ythe switches, exposure indicating apparatus for automatically and simultaneously marking a print being processed with symbols representing the date of processing ,and .with photographic indicia of the particular exposure time selected by operation of a particular one of said switches, said apparatus comprising marking means lincluding a separate, electrically responsive, light source corresponding to each switch respectively, and indicia producing means for each of said light sources disposed `between the respective source and the print for causing a beam of light emanating from the particular `source 7to mark the print with an indicia distinctive to each of the sources respectively; restrictive electrical circuit means `connected to said light sources for limiting energizing of each of the same to a predetermined period irrespective of the period of energization of said lamp by operation of one of the switches; means for controlling said marking 5 means to select the particular indicia which will be marked by said marking means upon said print; means for operably coupling said controlling means with said switches for automatic selection by said controlling means, when any of said switches is operated to select a particular exl0 -posure ltime for the processing of said print, of that particular indicia corresponding to said operated switch and said selected exposure time; means for marking said print during processing thereof in said machine with symbols corresponding to the date of processing; and means conpling said date symbol marking means with said Icon- -trolling means for operation of said data symbol marking means whenever said exposure time indicia marking means is operated, said date marking means being coupled to said restrictive electrical circuit means whereby the period of operation of said date marking means corresponds to the period of operatiton of said indicia light sources.

References Cited in the file of this patent 25 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,490,338 Marin Dec. 6, 1949 2,571,825 Bowers Oct. 16, 1951 2,641,976 Bryce June 16, 1953 30 FOREIGN PATENTS 672,033 Germany Feb. 20, 1939 

